Some of the most important fixtures in any home or building are safety alarm devices such as smoke detectors and fire alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, security sensors, and the like. Conventionally, these alarms provide loud audible alerts when activated so that all persons in the general vicinity are made well aware of the corresponding safety concern.
In large building establishments and public place, such alarms may include a flashing light which further indicates that the alarm has been tripped. However, many residential models do not include such a feature. This is particularly worrisome for hearing impaired individuals for whom an audible alarm is ineffective. Such persons generally rely upon visual stimuli to alert them as to environmental conditions.
Various attempts have been made to provide alarm devices with alert methods adapted for hearing impaired individuals. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,170, issued in the name of Zinsmeister, describes an alarm system including a signaling panel with a plurality of high intensity lights. The colors of the particular lights indicate a variety of alarm-triggering conditions such that the user is informed of the nature of the alarm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,238, issued in the name of Kollin, describes a visual signaling apparatus in electrical communication with a plurality of sensing devices individually located adjacent to a sound producing device such as a telephone or doorbell. Upon activation of a sensing device, the user is notified by a visual signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,759, issued in the name of Sulkoski et al., describes system including an alarm device such as a smoke detector and a receiver with a vibrating reed which provides a tactile alert to a user when the alarm is activated.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such devices do not provide a visual alert or a level capable of waking a person or which is readily visible from adjacent rooms. Also, many such devices are difficult to install, mount, wire, or configure. Furthermore, many such devices are unsightly even though they must be installed in readily visible locations. Accordingly, there exists a need for a visual alarm device without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.